17. The eye that mocketh at a father, and scorneth to obey a mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, 18. And the young eagles shall eat it. Under three things it is earth disquieted; 19. Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread; 20. Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, 21. There are four things which are small upon the earth, 22. The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food. 23. The conies are a feeble people, Yet they do make their houses in the rocks. 24. The locusts have no king, yet do they all go forth in bands. 25. The lizzard seizeth with its hands, and is in king's palaces. 26. These three have a graceful step; yea, four are graceful in their walk 27. The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any; 28. The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood. 29. If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, 31. The words given to King Lemuel; The prophecy which his mother taught him. 32. Give not thy strength to women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings! 33. It is not for kings, O Lemuel !— It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes to desire strong drink; 34. Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the rights of any of the afflicted. 35. Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, 37. Open thy mouth for the dumb, 38. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And maintain the cause of the poor and needy! 1. CHAPTER XXXI. Character of a good wife. *WHO can find a capable woman? Her worth is far above pearls. 2. The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he is in no want of gain. 3. She doeth him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. 4. She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands. 5. She is like the merchants' ships; She bringeth her food from afar. 6. She riseth while it is yet night, And giveth food to her family, and a task to her maidens 7. She layeth a plan for a field and buyeth it; With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 8. She girdeth her loins with strength, and maketh strong her arms 9. She perceiveth how pleasant is her gain, And her lamp is not extinguished in the night. 10. She putteth forth her hands to the distaff, And her hands take hold of the spindle. 11. She spreadeth out her hand to the poor, Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 12. She hath no fear for her household on acconnt of the snow, For all her household are clothed with crimson. 13. She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is of fine linen and purple. 14. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth with the elders of the land. 15. She maketh linen garments and selleth them. And she laugheth at the days to come. 17. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, And kind instruction is upon her tongue. 18. She looketh well to the ways of her household And eateth not the bread of idleness. 19. Her children rise up, and extol her; Her husband. and praiseth her, [saying,] 20. "Many daughters have done virtuously, But thou excellest them all." 21. Grace is deceitful, and beauty vain ; 22. But the woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give ye her of the fruit of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates. JOB. A NATIONAL DRAMATIC POEM; OR, THE PROBLEM OF EVIL IN ITS RELATION TO THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL. About 580-570 B. C. E. 1. I. PROLOGUE. Job's piety and prosperity. Trials: Poverty, bereavement, sickness. Unshaken piety. Tempted of his wife. The three friends. THERE was a man in the land of Uz named Job; and that man was blameless and upright, God-fearing, and one that 2. eschewed evil. And his children were seven sons and three daughters; and his substance was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and very many slaves; so that this man was 3. the greatest of all the children of the East. Now his sons were used to hold feast in the house of each in turn; and they would send and bid their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 4. And when the days of feasting were gone about, Job used to send and sanctify them, and rise up early in the morning, and offer whole burnt offerings, one for each; for Job said: It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their 5. thoughts. So was Job used to do continually. 6. And on the day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job, and said: The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them; and the Sabæans fell upon them, and took them, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only am escaped to 7. tell thee. While he yet spake, another came and said: The fire of God fell from heaven, and burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped to tell 8. thee. While he yet spake, another came, and said: The Chaldæans fell upon the camels in three bands, and took them, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only am escaped to tell 9. thee. While he yet spake, another came, and said: Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped to tell thee. 10. 11. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped, and said: Naked I came forth upon the earth, and naked return I thither; the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken; the name of the LORD be blessed. And Job was smitten with a sore boil from the sole of his foot unto his crown; so that he took him a potsherd to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes. In all this Job sinned not, 12. and gave God none offense. And his wife said to him: Dost 13. thou still remain blameless? Renounce God, and die. But he said to her: Thou speakest like one of the foolish women. Shall we then receive good from God, and the evil shall we not receive? In all this Job sinned not with his lips. 14. Then Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, and they came each from his place-Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, -and they agreed together to come and bemoan him and com15. fort him. And they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not; and they lifted up their voice, and wept, and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward 16. heaven. And they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him; for they saw that his grief was very great. (Chap I and II abrev.) 1. II. JOB'S COMPLAINT. AFTERWARD Job opened his mouth and cusred his day: 2. Perish the day wherein I was born; Be that day darkness; let not God above regard it, 3. Let darkness claim it, and deep shadow; Let clouds dwell upon it, eclipses fill it with dread. 4. Why died I not at my birth; came forth and perished? 5. Else had I lien down and been quiet; 7. Or with princes that had gold, Whose houses were filled with silver. 8. There the wicked cease from troubling; And there the weary are at rest. 9. There captives likewise are at ease; They hear not the taskmaster's voice. 10. Both small and great are there; And the slave is free from his master. 11. Wherefore giveth He light to the wretched, And life to the bitter in soul; 12. That long for death, and it is not; And dig for it more than hid treasures ; 13. That rejoice with great exultation, That are glad when, they find the grave— 14. The man whose way is hid, Whom God hath hedged in? 15. For my sighing preventeth my food, And that which I dreaded befell me. 17. I was not at ease, I had no peace, (Chap. III.) 1. III. FIRST ARGUMENT OF ELIPHAZ. Job has comforted many. Teaching of religion. Vision of the THEN answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: 2. If one assay speech with thee, wilt thou be vexed? And who can refrain from speaking? 3. Behold, thou hast instructed many, 4. Thy words upheld the falling, And feeble knees thou hast confirmed. |